What impact noise pollution has on traffic cops?

While they are trained to deal with stress, most policemen admit that they tend to vent once they are off duty. Constables Raj Kumar and Suraj posted at Ashram crossing — one of the noisiest in the city — say that it takes them more than an hour after duty to calm down.TNN | August 22, 2016, 09:12 IST

NEW DELHI: With the focus on the health hazards faced by citizens, there is hardly any attention paid to the traffic policemen who are exposed to high noise pollution in the city. No wonder a study says that the average stress suffered by a traffic cop is 50% higher than that by a blue- or white-collar employee.

While they are trained to deal with stress, most policemen admit that they tend to vent once they are off duty. Constables Raj Kumar and Suraj posted at Ashram crossing — one of the noisiest in the city — say that it takes them more than an hour after duty to calm down.

While it is in their right to haul up people violating the no-horn norms, everyone knows it is fairly impossible to prosecute scores of vehicles together creating a cacophony. "We cannot book every vehicle that honks because stopping one of them during the peak hours means chaos along a lengthy stretch," says a traffic officer posted at the Lajpat Nagar-Ring Road crossing.

The cops do go through a monthly de-stressing and medical programme, but audiometry is rarely a part of these check-ups. "The effect of noise on their lives is not something anyone bothers about," a senior police officer admits.

Headphones can limit the noise, but it has its own limitations. "I cannot put on a headphone while controlling traffic on road. I need to hear instructions on my handset," said a traffic cop. "Moreover, if anyone sees a policeman using headphones, it is bound to create uproar." According to a study, these men are exposed to levels of around 105 decibels each day, which is equivalent to hearing a train horn from a distance of five metres.

There is as yet no data on hearing loss among the capital's traffic policemen. But Dr WVBS Ramalingam, head of ENT at BLK Hospital, discloses that in his survey of traffic personnel in Pune, he found nearly 75% had difficulty hearing at low volumes. "We recommended that all policemen deployed on Pune's roads should wear ear muffs. A similar exercise should be taken up in Delhi also," he said.

The cops themselves suggest that playing soothing music at traffic signals might reduce stress levels among policemen and in drivers whose aggressions can be attributed to their constant exposure to noise.

Packed with 50+ safety and security features, 30+ premium features and 20+ pioneering technologies, the Jeep Compass is manufactured in FCA’s joint venture manufacturing facility in Ranjangaon, near Pune, and is made of 65% locally sourced components.